Tube tester connector



United States Patent William 0. Richardson [72] Inventor [56] References Cited I N s i oz gz s UNITED STATES PATENTS P 743,400 3/1903 Sherman 29/523 [22] Filed March 14, 1968 2 405 3 9 8 [45] Patented Nov 24 1970 9 H946 Bug g et a1. 29/523 2 937 666 5/1960 Maisch 138/89 [73] Asslgnee Tuthlll Pump Company I car "no" of Delaware 3,044,496 7/1962 Malsch 138/89 p0 3,323,551 6/1967 Bell et a1 138/90 Primary Examiner-Houston S. Bell, Jr. V Att0rneyMann, Brown, McWilliams & Bradway R i ABSTRACT: A tube tester connector for sealing the open end [54] gfi of thin wall deformable tubing which employs as the primary 1 retaining and anchoring means a split ring or similar type ex- [52] U.S. Cl. .0. 138/89, panding device, which, upon actuation, forms an internal 1 72/58,285/338,285/382.5 groove in the interior wall of the thin wall tubing. The bead [51] Int. Cl. F161 5 5/10, thereby formed provides a satisfactory anchoring means and a F16155/12 sealing member, such as an O-ring, provides the seal so that v 1 [50] Field ofSearch 138/89, 90, the tubing may be tested. in one embodiment the device is 91, 92,94, 94.3,95;29llnq, 523;220/lnq; provided with a pipe port through which a fluid may be in- 285/1nq, 382.4, 382.5, 338; 72/lnq, 58 troduced into the tubing to be tested.

,f if 41 1 V L r7 Patented Nov. 24, 1970 w 4/4., N m W! W 2. wk? VPM/JM M Z i w/ w may NJ mm Pw I! 4 A? 5.0.2. i H W ..tubes and conduits for .testing filling,

prior art "devicesas illustrated: in

3,044,496.;lnternaltube sealslof thecharacter-wherein sealing,- action is obtained by engage mentof the internalisurfaces of y the tube';-like.=,those illustr'atedin theaforesaid-patents,have

member 4 provide an abutment 1: 1; TUBETESTERGONNECTOR1-.

BACKGROUND.OFTHEclNVENTlON 1 Generally speaking, itlie tube testing devices of this invention relate to'tubesealsforitemporarily sealingthe-endsof or like purposes. The

herein discloseddevices have numerous advantages over such generally bee'n relatively complicated andI expensive in character. Iii many instances theexpanding means do not pro vide a good -enough seal inaorden to.carry.out asatisfactory test of the tubing. This is especiallyjtrue; where highpressures are to be employed intestingthetubingi,

SUMMARXOF-THEJINVENTION' v Generally, .the aforedescrib'ed*shortcomings*and .def ciem cies areovercforne by providinga tube co'nnecter which forms 1 an internal groove'withinf 'the'tubing-whichis tobetested.

Generally; and in order to utilize thedevices ofthis invention,,

the tubing contemplatedshould be thin walledandsomewhatmalleableordeformable to permitthe device .to form an inter-- nal groove by which gprimary. anchoring of the. deviceis obtained aridthrough which it? is almostimpossible to displace the tube connecter from the sealingfor insertion into and thesealing 'of open endedgthinrwalled,

deformable. tubing wherein a body member-having an axial 1 bore is provided with a terminalportion adaptedto be, inserted into the open 'end of a tube. Astem More in fluid-tight y relationship" with the end. of the body member 'opposite the terminalportionanda handle means is secured to the stemin order to positionit intoone of two posi position, unless, desired; Generally, the; devices of thisinvention comprisea connecter,

is shiftably disposedin -the ti'ons. The' normalor disengaging-position and the-locked or engaging" position. is dictated by movement of thehandle. Means are provided on the stem adjacent theterminal portion of the body member for forming .anin'ternal groove in the tubing while at the same time sealing it in fluid-tight relationship when the stem is positioned in the tube engaging position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OFTHELDRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a longitudinal view-showing the tube seal embody.-

ing the features of theinvention in the normal or'disengaging position;

. FIG. 2 is alongitudinal'view 6r another embodiment of the,

invention showing the tube seal in the tubefengagingland sealing position; and

FIG; 3 is a partial end view of the device pictured in FIG. 2. oesciuPrioN Oi -THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to the drawings, wherein like numerals of reference designate like elements throughoutthe several views, and specifically to FlG. 1, thetube sealer-z is shown with a body portion. 4 havinggan; axiali bore 6; extending portions} of body.

throughout its entire length Shoulder surfacewhenthe tubesealer is inserted into thimwalled;deformabletubing-10;;The bore 6 has disposed therein shiftable .st'emlZiii close tolerance rela-.

tion except for the major portion of the'enlarged sectionof body member 4, the reason for whichwill be apparent. Stem.-

12'1- has threaded end 14 en larged end 16 which projectsbe-y'ond body member 4 through which isdisposed'pin l8'by whichhandle ZO'isseciired to th-estem. Between the end surface 22 of handle 20 and the'endshoulder 24-.of body member 4, there is provided. acam wash'er"26gtof-provide arcamming surface for handle 20when itiis pivoted through an arc of 90 as will hereinafter become apparent..

End surface 24 'of body-member! has counterbore 28 in which is disposed a sealing member suchas O-ring. 30 so as to 7 seal bore 6 adjacent enlarged-stem portion l6in' fluid-tight 2 a relationship. Threaded stem -end-l4* fhas 'slidably disposed thereon, a sealing means 32,1;actuatorrig ring 34 and spacer member 42. Sealingmeans,32,'-such asan O-riingrabuts end 36 while actuator ring.34,is in spacedrela'tionship in'the' normal position from the end 36 of body member 4. it will be noted that actuator ring 34 has an inclinedsurface as at,38-on which is disposed. split ring member 40. A spacer member 42 is disposed on the stemend l4;having protrudingend walls 44' and being in spaced relationship'withactuator ring- 34,-pro- "videsthe means wherebythe split-ringj40Qis urged up the locking-position; Two lock nuts incline 38 into. anchoringor 46 are threadably secured to stem end 14 so as to retain actua tor ring 34-, split ringmember 40 andspacer member42 in the relative positionshowniin'FlG. ,lL

Referring to the-remaining :FlGS; it is'quite clear that when, therhandle ,20is'rotatedabout the pivot point defined by the wall 'ofthe deformable tubingto form an internal groove and an external bead'to anchorv the test tube-connecter securely in placewithin the tubing.-

Theytubingis now ready to be tested-and a test fluid may be introduced at the-opposite endjorwhenlit is desired-that the test fluid be introduced via thetestconnecter device, a lon-- gitudinal groove is providedin' the stem to communicate with a pipe port opening inthe body of the test connecter which'ini turn may be connected to a fluidsupplysource. Referring specifically to FIG. 2, in this embodiment body member'48is providedwith athreaded pipe port opening 50which communicates withthe interior bore or chamber'6. The stemv 52 is provided with longitudinal groove, channelway or slot 54substantially from a point immediately. belowithe pipe, port opening 50to-theeridthereof 156; The operation of both devices is thesam'e and the onlydifference is that the device of F IG. 2 al-' lows for the introduction of afluid throughv the test tube connecter by means oftheorifice 50 and 58 of tube It willlthus be seen'that one merely need slip the device as shown inf-1G. 1 into the tube'to be tested with the handle 20 in the unlocked or open position. Once in position, the handle 20isrotatedthrough an arc of connecter'in placewithin the hollow, deformable tubing. To withdraw the device the opposite sequence of steps is followed and becauselofl the resiliency'offthe O-rings and the spring memory of the splitring 40,the split ring 40 retreat s down the slope,-38 ;to:assume the position shown in FIG. 1 The device may then be removed from the tubing without difficulty.

There, of course, are other modifications that will notydepart from the spirit andscopeofthe invention and -which will make th'emselv'esapparent-to those skilled in theart a'ndit is intended that all be covered by the appended claims to the extent allowable by the prior art.

I claim: I. A connecter for insertion into and the sealing 'ofopen ended, thin wall, deformable tubing comprising:

a. a body member having an axial boreand a'terminal portion adaptedto beinserted into the open end of a tube;

b. a stem'shiftably disp'osedin said bore in fluid tight"relationship-with the end of said bodymember opposite said terminal portion; c. handle means secured to :said stem to position it in one of two positions; and d. means including a one-piece groove forming member carried on said stem adjacent said terminal portion of said channelway 54, which as; is readily apparent, communicates to the interiorof the tubingg r to a lockedtposition as" shown in FIG. 2 which causes .O-ring'sealing and the formation of an internal groovewhichsatisfactorily anchors the test tube body member for forming a continuous, anchoring internal groove of relatively finite size compared to said member in a major portion of the interior periphery of said tubing and for sealing same in fluid-tight relationship when said stem is positioned in said one of two positions.

2. The connecter in accordance with claim 1 wherein said stern adjacent said terminal portion of said body member has a threaded end which carries an actuator ring member which, upon axial displacement, causes a split ring member to expand and form said groove.

3. The connecter in accordance with claim 2 wherein said stem adjacent said terminal portion of said body member carries a sealing means which, upon said axial displacement is compressed and urged into fluid-tight relationship with said tubing.

4. The connecter in accordance with claim 2 wherein said stern adjacent said terminal portion of said body member carries an actuator ring having a smaller diameter end supporting said split ring member and having sloping sides on which said ring member is pushed and a sealing member is disposed between said actuator ring and the terminal portion of said body member.

5. The connecter in accordance with claim 4 wherein said spacer member, upon actuation of said handle, forces said split ring up said sloping surface to thereby form said internal groove in said tubing and urges said actuator ring into engagement with said sealing means to thereby form an effective fluid-tight seal for the open end of said tubing.

6. The connecter in accordance with claim 5 wherein said threaded stem end is provided with lock nuts to retain said spacer and actuator ring on said stem and said handle means is pivotally secured to said stem.

7. The connecter in accordance with claim 6 wherein said body member has an enlarged diameter portion opposite said terminal portion to provide shoulders at which the end of said open tube may abut.

8. The connecter in accordance with claim 7 wherein a camming surface washer is provided between said body member and the engaging surface of said handle and a sealing O-ring is provided to form a fluid-tight seal between said body member, cam washer and stem.

9. The connecter in accordance with claim 8 wherein said stem has an axial bore in a portion thereof extending from the approximate center of the enlarged section of said body member to the end ofsaid stem extending into said tubing.

10. The connecter in accordance with claim 9 wherein said body member has a pipe port opening communicating the stem bore to the outside of said body member for connection to a fluid supply connecter. 

